Teachings of the Drum

Every Tuesday evening, I jump into the curry coloured jeep and head North up the island. I journey to the community of Tivoli, St. Andrew’s, home of Grenada’s most popular cultural drum troupe, the Tivoli Drummers. I head up the island to take part in drum lessons with a group of young boys from the community. Graciously I was invited by friend, founder and leader of Tivoli Drummers, Livingston Krumah Nelson after expressing my desire to learn to beat the djembe I had recently acquired.

Every Tuesday evening I drive North through the winding mango shaded roads where kids make their way home from school; white cotton shirts and school coloured skirts and pants bop in between the lush dripping greens and blues of an afternoon tropical heat.

Every Tuesday evening, my presence on the road weekly provokes peaceful callings, “White Rasta”, “Tuesday Sistren!” “Sistah on the move again."

Every Tuesday evening the boys and I gather to form a large circle underneath one of the Tivoli Drummer’s homes, each of us cradling our djembe between our legs anxious to begin the teachings. We wait for our teacher to give us our first beat. We move from the basic beats to more complicated rhythms that are encouraged and shared by whoever is sitting to the right or left.

Every Tuesday evening the teachings are ripe with learning and I begin to understand how they are so much more than the beats of African and Caribbean Soca, but extend into teachings of community and unity; of relationships and the art of listening; teachings about respecting oneself and others.

Every Tuesday evening our teacher emphasises the importance of listening, not just with our ears but with our hearts and bodies. He makes us place our hands on the head of our drums, eyes closed, and listen to the beats he creates with his heart and spirit.

Every Tuesday evening he talks of respect, being in relationship with our drums. He compares this to the way the boys will treat their future girlfriends. This creates great explosions of laughter. Our Teacher explains, “you must not treat your drum roughly but take your time. Be gentle and soft, showing love and respect."

Every Tuesday evening, I inhale the teachings of the drum, the teachings that inspire and empower these young boys to be more then what they see on the block, on tv, in the school yard; to be more just like their teacher, a man and friend from their very own community, a man that radiates respect, a man they can be proud of as they witness his success as a community man, a well- known drummer and teacher.

Every Tuesday evening I recognize the needs of our young Grenadian boys and our young boys across the globe; the need for strong male mentors; role modals who take the time to share the teachings of love, respect, and being in relationship with one another.